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☆ Welcome to the future of America: a chicken in every pot and a pro sports team in every backyard
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-15 | by ( Cork Gaines | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

A few years ago, it was generally accepted that there were four major pro sports leagues in North America consisting of 122 teams: MLB, the NBA, the NFL, and the NHL. Take Major League Soccer. Aliyah Boston (right) and WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert pose with an Indiana Fever jersey during the 2023 WNBA Draft. This seemingly insatiable need for programming is a big reason why North American newcomers, like Major League Rugby and Major League Cricket, also have a good shot at survival. In other words, if you have ever dreamed of having a pro sports team in your neighborhood, there's never been a better chance it might actually happen.

Persons: Adam Silver, Rob Manfred, Don Garber, Lionel Messi, Cathy Engelbert, Adam Hunger, there's Organizations: NBA, MLB, MLS, Sports, Las Vegas, NHL, Las, Seattle —, NFL, Major League Soccer, Inter Miami, Boston, Indiana Fever, Major League Rugby, Major League Cricket, XFL, USFL, ESPN Locations: North America, Seattle, Las Vegas, Europe

☆ Jim Brown, Football Great and Civil Rights Champion, Dies at 87
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-19 | by ( Richard Goldstein | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

His family announced his death on Friday on Instagram. Playing for the Browns from 1957 to 1965 after earning all-American honors at Syracuse University in football and lacrosse, Brown helped take Cleveland to the 1964 National Football League championship. In any game, he dragged defenders when he wasn’t running over them or flattening them with a stiff arm. He eluded them with his footwork when he wasn’t sweeping around ends and outrunning them. He never missed a game, piercing defensive lines in 118 consecutive regular-season games, though he played one year with a broken toe and another with a sprained wrist.

“It is with profound sadness that I announce the passing of my husband, Jim Brown,” Monique Brown wrote on Instagram. Our hearts are broken…”The sole team Brown played for, the Cleveland Browns, tweeted, “Jim Brown Forever. Jim Brown, led the league in rushing in eight of his nine seasons with the Cleveland Browns and set the all-time record for rushing yards. Brown also made his mark as a civil rights activist, working with inner-city gang members and prison inmates. Jim Brown’s legacy will live on forever,” the NFL tweeted.

☆ Jim Brown Piled Up Yards, but Never Wavered an Inch
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-19 | by ( Ken Belson | Jenny Vrentas | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +2 min

His rushing records — most notably his 12,312 yards on the ground — were eventually broken by Payton, Barry Sanders, Emmitt Smith and others. His 104.3 rushing yards per game average still stands as a league record. awards, and owning the N.F.L.’s career rushing record. “There isn’t a man who played running back in the NFL who didn’t see Jim Brown as an iconic legend on and off the field,” Tony Dorsett, one of 10 running backs to surpass Brown’s total rushing yards, wrote on Twitter. As exceptional as he was on the field, Brown was far from a perfect human being.

☆ Deal close for Washington Commanders football team
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-13 | by ( Matt Egan | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

If finalized, the sale would mark the end of the controversial ownership of the Washington franchise by embattled billionaire Daniel Snyder. News of the near deal was first reported by Sportico, which reported the team sold for $6 billion, a record for a North American sports franchise. Snyder purchased the team, then named the Washington Redskins for a reported $750 million in 1999. It adopted the Commanders name last year, after playing two seasons with the name Washington Football Team. “Today marks the end of a long, difficult chapter for all employees and fans of the Washington football organization,” read a statement from Lisa Banks and Debra Katz, two attorneys representing more than 40 former Washington Commanders employees.

☆ Hall of Fame GM Bobby Beathard dies at 86
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-02 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

February 2 - Hall of Fame NFL executive Bobby Beathard, an architect of four Super Bowl titles for two different teams, has died at age 86. Beathard was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame as a contributor in 2018. For Bobby Beathard, it doesn't nearly do the man justice," Chargers owner Dean Spanos said in a statement. "We are saddened by the passing of former Dolphins executive & Hall of Famer, Bobby Beathard," the Dolphins said in a statement. He hired coach Joe Gibbs and drafted Hall of Fame players Art Monk, Russ Grimm and Darrell Green, leading to Super Bowl titles in 1982 and 1987.

☆ Former NFL player Jessie Lemonier dies at 25
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-26 | by ( Drew Weisholtz | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +1 min

Jessie Lemonier, a defensive end who played for the NFL’s Los Angeles Chargers and Detroit Lions, has died at the age of 25, the Lions announced Jan. 26. “We are shocked and saddened to learn of the passing of former Detroit Lion Jessie Lemonier,” the Lions said in a statement posted on Twitter. “Jessie was a model teammate and wonderful young man who is gone far too soon. Lemonier signed with the Chargers as an undrafted free agent out of Liberty University in 2020. He played in six games with them in 2020, according to Pro Football Reference.

NFL Hall of Famer and NBC Sports analyst Tony Dungy is facing renewed criticism for his history of anti-LGBTQ statements after he tweeted an anti-transgender conspiracy theory last week. That’s the criteria for avoiding hell.”In another tweet from 2020, Dungy wrote that being “LGBTQ is a lifestyle,” a sentiment that suggests being queer is a choice. . . things will happen.’’Cyd Zeigler, an LGBTQ advocate and a co-founder of the LGBTQ sports site Outsports.com, has been raising the alarm bells on Dungy’s anti-LGBTQ sentiments for years. “I’ve never called for Tony Dungy to be fired or lose his job or his ability to provide for his family,” Zeigler said. Zeigler said he isn’t convinced that Dungy’s anti-LGBTQ rhetoric would stop anytime soon.

☆ Popeyes meme kid: A decade later, Dieunerst Collin is a college football player who just signed an NIL deal
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-20 | by ( Faith Karimi | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

CNN —College freshman Dieunerst Collin’s road to internet meme fame started with a confused side-eye at a Popeyes in New Jersey. Collin, holding a Popeyes lemonade cup, gave the man a sideways glance, wondering why he had a camera in his face. Popeyes announced the deal this month after a social media campaign by Collin and his fans. “From memes to dreams, Dieunerst and Popeyes will grace social media feeds once again.”The partnership started with a call on social mediaThe new partnership is the result of yet another social media moment. A few days later, Popeyes announced the partnership on social media.

☆ Fanatics is divesting its 60% stake in NFT company Candy Digital
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-04 | by ( Ian Thomas | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Michael Rubin's sports platform company Fanatics is divesting its 60% stake in NFT company Candy Digital, according to an internal email obtained by CNBC. Candy Digital was founded in June 2021 in the middle of the sports NFT boom, competing with companies like Dapper Labs in the digital sports collectible space. It also released digital collectibles with Netflix 's Stranger Things, WWE , and several Nascar teams. Dapper Labs, the company behind NBA Top Shot and NFL All Day digital trading platforms that ranked No. "Over the past year, it has become clear that NFTs are unlikely to be sustainable or profitable as a standalone business," Rubin wrote.

In just his second year of pro football, Damar Hamlin had just come into his own with the Super Bowl-contending Buffalo Bills before he was rushed to a Cincinnati hospital. Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin (31) at Soldier Field in Chicago, on Aug. 21, 2021. He was a sixth-round pick from Pitt last year and he took a starting role for Buffalo after a neck injury to Micah Hyde. Kathy Hochul, a Buffalo native, tweeted: "Praying for Damar Hamlin. Josh Shapiro said in a statement: "Praying for Damar Hamlin and his family."

☆ Skip Bayless apologizes for tweet after Damar Hamlin’s collapse
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-03 | by ( Jordan Valinsky | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

His co-host, former NFL player Shannon Sharpe, did not appear. During the incident, Bayless tweeted: “no doubt the NFL is considering postponing the rest of this game - but how? Former NFL player Jacob Hester told Bayless to “read the room, and have a heart.” Vikings cornerback Patrick Peterson, former NFL player Darelle Revis and NBA analyst Kendrick Perkins, among many others, also criticized Bayless. I’m sorry if that was misunderstood but his health is all that matters,” Bayless tweeted. Bayless didn’t acknowledge the tweet at the beginning of Tuesday’s “Undisputed,” but appeared emotional about the incident.

☆ These Hollywood celebs and an NFL Hall of Famer want you to electrify your home to help solve the climate crisis
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-28 | by ( Catherine Boudreau | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

GoodLeap is the largest financier of residential solar loans in the US, with 28% of the market. The former NFL tight end and Pro Football Hall of Famer told Insider he often reflected on whether, in life's final moments, he'd be proud of his choices. Gonzalez, who's also invested in plant-based-food companies like Beyond Meat, told Insider the climate crisis was the most important issue of his — and his children's — lifetime. GoodLeap is the top provider of residential solar loans, with a 28% share of the market. "Part of my work has always been making sure folks who typically are unconsidered are considered," DeBerry told Insider.

☆ Cardinals defensive end Watt calls time on career
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-27 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Dec 27 (Reuters) - Three-times Defensive Player of the Year J.J. Watt announced his retirement from the National Football League (NFL) on Tuesday, saying on social media that he had played his last home game. All but assured a spot in the Pro Football Hall of Fame, Watt is widely considered among the greatest-ever defensive players and was set to become a free agent after his contract with the Arizona Cardinals expired in 2023. But Watt, who previously played for the Houston Texans, said Sunday's 19-16 overtime loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers would be his last game on home turf. "My last ever NFL home game," said Watt, 33, who added that it was the first game his infant son Koa had attended. The defensive end, who was selected to the Pro Bowl five times, has two games left with the Cardinals, on the road against the Atlanta Falcons and the San Francisco 49ers, amid a disappointing 4-11 season.

☆ The Tom Brady of Other Jobs
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-24 | by ( Francesca Paris | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +17 min

Meet them, and decide for yourself:The Tom Brady of Paramedics Jesse Izaguirre, 70Gardena, Calif.Jesse Izaguirre loves working with younger paramedics. Hopefully never.”The Tom Brady of Bakers Helen Fletcher, 83Clayton, Mo. Chalk it up to a great big fib.”The Tom Brady of Artists Lilian Thomas Burwell, 95Highland Beach, Md. “I should’ve signed them.”The Tom Brady of Biologists Maria Elena Zavala, 72Los AngelesProfessional longevity runs in Maria Elena Zavala’s family. It didn’t vanish when they crossed the border.”The Tom Brady of Loggers Earl Pollock, 82Hamburg, Ark.

☆ Franco Harris, legendary Steelers running back who caught 'The Immaculate Reception,' dies at 72
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-21 | by ( Julianne Mcshane | The Associated Press | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +2 min

Franco Harris, a Hall of Fame running back for the Pittsburgh Steelers known for one of the most famous plays in American football history and considered one of the NFL's most iconic athletes, has died. Representatives for the NFL and the Steelers did not immediately respond to requests for comment from NBC News. He played in nine Pro Bowls, five AFC championships and four Super Bowls, according to the Hall of Fame. Harris' scoop of a deflected pass and subsequent run for the winning touchdown — forever known as the "Immaculate Reception" — has been voted the greatest play in NFL history. He should be measured by something more special, such as the sharing of teammates and fans," according to the Hall of Fame.

Sanders has a 27-5 coaching record at Jackson State, including going 12-0 this year and winning two consecutive Southwestern Athletic Conference titles. Sanders will owe Jackson State around $300,000 in a buyout for the 2020 contract, according to USA Today. This is not a Deion Sanders thing,” Parker told NBC News. “I do think he cared about the well-being of Jackson State football players. I think the buzz around the program will change, especially if they don’t hire a coach that has a similar stature as Deion Sanders.”

☆ Deion Sanders is showing that upward mobility isn't just for white coaches
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-06 | by ( Cecil Harris | Cecil Harris Is A Veteran Sports Journalist Whose Work Has Appeared In The New York Times | Usa Today | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +6 min

Many are upset that the Black former superstar is leaving a Historically Black University where his leadership could continue to provide a solid foundation for young Black athletes. Sanders proved his ability in his first coaching job by making the Jackson State Tigers the best team among HBCUs. In his final game at Jackson State, Sanders will lead the Tigers against North Carolina Central University in the Cricket Celebration Bowl on Dec. 17 in Atlanta. At each previous stop in Saban’s head coaching journey (University of Toledo, Michigan State University, Louisiana State University and the NFL’s Miami Dolphins), he may well have disappointed some players who signed on hoping he would stay. His son, Jackson State star quarterback Shedeur Sanders, is expected to do just that and follow his father.

☆ Herschel Walker isn't the only pro-footballer-turned-politician. Here are 16 others who've tossed the pigskin into the political arena.
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-04 | by ( Kayla Gallagher | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Georgia's upcoming runoff election will determine whether GOP candidate Herschel Walker will enter the US Senate. Here are other prominent politicians and government officials who've transitioned from a career football to politics. Access your favorite topics in a personalized feed while you're on the go. Access your favorite topics in a personalized feed while you're on the go. Meet 16 other political and governmental figures who played or otherwise participated in pro football before entering public office:

☆ Herschel Walker isn't the only pro-footballer-turned-politician. Here 16 others who've tossed the pigskin into the political arena.
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-04 | by ( Kayla Gallagher | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

☆ Deion Sanders is hired as the next football head coach for the University of Colorado
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-03 | by ( Jacob Lev | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +1 min

Football legend Deion Sanders has been named the new University of Colorado football head coach, the school announced Saturday. The Tigers won the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) championship earlier Saturday, defeating Southern University 43-24. “There were a number of highly qualified and impressive candidates interested in becoming the next head football coach at Colorado, but none of them had the pedigree, the knowledge and the ability to connect with student-athletes like Deion Sanders,” Colorado athletic director Rick George said in a statement. In October, Colorado fired Karl Dorrell after an 0-5 start and an 8-15 overall record in three years as head coach. Interim head coach Mike Sanford went 1-6 as the Buffaloes finished the season with the worst record in the Pac-12 Conference.

☆ I'm an archivist at the Pro Football Hall of Fame. I've given tours to Bill Belichick and shown Tom Brady his own draft card.
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-27 | by ( Vince Guerrieri | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Jon Kendle wanted to work in sports so got a summer internship at the NFL Hall of Fame in 2005. Kendle is now the vice president of museum and archives for the Hall and met Tom Brady on the job. I was born and raised in Canton, Ohio, the home of the Pro Football Hall of Fame. I was able to run down to the archives and find Tom Brady's draft card and show it to him. The draft card is just a piece of paper with a name written on it, but it means so much more.

☆ Qatar makes World Cup debut in a controversial tournament of firsts
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-20 | by ( Ben Church | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

Doha, Qatar CNN —There have been 21 editions of the men’s World Cup since its inauguration in 1930 but Qatar 2022 is set to be a tournament like no other. Since it was announced as the host city almost 12 years ago, it was always destined to be a World Cup of firsts. Seventy percent of the squad that won the trophy came through the academy, and that number has only increased heading into the World Cup. Female officialsQatar 2022 will also see female referees officiate a men’s World Cup match for the first time. Referee Yoshimi Yamashita will make her debut at the men's World Cup.

☆ World Cup 2022: David Beckham's 'status as a gay icon will be shredded' if he continues as Qatar ambassador says British comedian
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-14 | by ( Zayn Nabbi Sammy Mngqosini | Zayn Nabbi | Sammy Mngqosini | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

CNN —David Beckham’s “status as a gay icon will be shredded” if the former England captain and Manchester United star continues in his role as a Qatar World Cup ambassador said British comedian Joe Lycett on Sunday. Beckham, contacted by CNN through his representatives, declined to comment on the criticism around his ambassadorship. “You’re the first Premiership footballer to do shoots with gay magazines like Attitude, to speak openly about your gay fans,” Lycett said. Alexander Tamargo/Getty ImagesHRW has also recently highlighted “arbitrary arrests and ill-treatment” of LGBTQ people in Qatar. “There are just a few days until the World Cup kickoff, but that’s plenty of time for the Qatari government to end ill-treatment of LGBT people,” HRW said in a November press release.

☆ NFL Week 9 Preview: How to watch and all you need to know
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-06 | by ( Hannah Brewitt | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +23 min

Norm Hall/Getty Images Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen hurdles Kansas City Chiefs safety Justin Reid as he scrambles for a first down. Marcio Jose Sanchez/AP Minnesota wide receiver Justin Jefferson dives for a two-point conversion during the Vikings' 29-22 victory over the Chicago Bears. Gerald Herbert/AP Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Michael Pittman Jr. is tripped up by Denver Broncos cornerback K'Waun Williams. David Richard/AP Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Breshad Perriman fumbles after catching a pass during the first half against the Green Bay Packers in Week 3. Gary A. Vasquez/USA Today Sports/Reuters New Orleans Saints wide receiver Michael Thomas makes a reception against Atlanta Falcons cornerback A.J.

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